Wednesday, April 30, 2008

When You See The Southern Cross For The First Time...

We got up early again this morning to try and catch the sunrise, but the clouds didn’t let it peek through until after it was well over the horizon. We had some juice and bread and pistachios on the deck, then wandered around the property a bit. We decided that we wanted to see some of the island, and according to the lady at the front desk, there was a place to rent scooters at the top of the hill where the driveway to the IC began. We walked up, and of course there was no one there (they didn’t get there yet, apparently since they were there later). So Sharpe Family Walking Adventure II began. We walked about a half mile until we saw a hotel we had heard about where they rented small boats to you without the need for a license. After checking out the boats and finding out another scooter place would deliver one to us, we decided to go the land route today and save the nautical stuff for the next few days.

The scooter guy came, dropped it off, and we were on our way to circumnavigating Moorea!! We had the thing for the whole day, and it was only 9:30, so there was plenty to see and do. We headed away from our hotel, towards the side of the island we hadn’t seen yet. This turned out to be the less populated and commercial side of the island but was as (if not more) beautiful. The smell of mango and pineapple farms intermittently broke up the salt air smell; when we were more inland, it mixed with aromatic flora – not like the florist/funeral home overbearing floral smell, but a mix of fresh flowers, deep-woods greenery, and the first blossom of spring. The views were incredible – words can’t do it justice, we’ll have to let the pictures try and speak for themselves, but we both agree that even our Olympus couldn’t truly capture the sights. Unbelievably blue ocean on one side, large mountains full of greenery on the other. T.J. drove while Jen hung on and took pictures – so many that the battery was pretty much empty only halfway through our trip around the island. We stopped and got a half-kilo of bananas (about 7 small ones) and they were the sweetest we’ve ever tasted by far. The road alternated from right next to the ocean (think driving through the Keys) and a little inland next to the base of the mountains. At one point, we drove through a straightaway of trees hanging over the road, creating a tropical canopy that cooled the road (and us) by 10 degrees. We stopped on a little road that pushed out towards the ocean and finished our bananas, while watching a surfer paddle out the mile or so towards the reef and the breakers that were probably 6’ or so.

We finally came around to the south side of the island, and there, as the road curved and the water turned from unbelievable blue to unreal electric blue, the island of Tahiti rose up, 11 miles in the distance. To see it just rise out of the water and be the backdrop for the most serene viewpoint (until a few hours later – see below) was amazing. We’re pretty much running out of adjectives at this point. We probably stopped 20+ times to take pictures or just take in the scenery, plus jen was snapping away as we drove. At this point we were getting hungry, and we both wanted to find something cool and local that would be a great meal. After passing up a couple places, we drove by this “snack” place that had this curry aroma that caused T.J. to spin the scooter around even as Jen was suggesting we go there to eat. The owner/chef sat us at a window overlooking the water with Tahiti in the background. He was a real free spirit, telling us this was his 12th restaurant he’d opened, he loved cooking, he’d give us his brother’s number on Bora Bora and he’d show us around, etc… He reminded me so much of John Santarpio it was scary, so it came as no surprise when he said, in an Australian accent, “Name’s Johnny…” WE had a couple drinks there, and he served us one of the best meals either one of us ever had – Poisson Cru (raw tuna with onions, mangos, tomatoes, etc… in coconut milk like we had yesterday) for Jen, and Curry Shrimp and fish for T.J. It was absolutely to die for and we pretty much licked the plates. All that, a couple of drinks, and a big bottle of water for $70 USD, which was a steal compared to what we’ve paid (and will be paying). Dad, you would have LOVED the place. One of these days when we get back to Tahiti, this will be the first place we come to eat! Heck we might end up back there for lunch before we leave…

After lunch we continued to the supermarche, to stock up – we heard this was the best place to get vodka and rum! And at $12 a drink here for a lot of stuff, it was a good call. We got the “necessities” and a big magnum of champagne, and set off down the road. We passed the ferry and now were in “familiar” territory. We stopped at the lookout that was above the Sofitil, one of the newest and best places on the island; T.J. saw a neat looking beach just to the left and down the hill, so after spending 10 minutes admiring the harbor, the view and Tahiti in the background, we set off for home… except T.J. pulled a right hand turn to see what the beach was like. Jen wasn’t a huge fan of the plan, especially when we had to get onto Costa Rica-like dirt roads, but once we got there and she found the bathroom, it was ok. We passed someone playing Jack Johnson out of their car stereo too, so that helped her feel more at home. The beach itself was more like a park, and had beautiful water, and dozens of people cooking out, swimming, playing bocce, and overall having a great time. It was a really cool place, and we’d later read in a guide that it is the best beach in Moorea. The Sharpe instincts were right again!!

We got back to the hotel and unloaded our stuff, went for a swim to cool off, and got back on the scooter with about 2 hours left. We ahd a couple of more things to do – get some fresh fruit, check out a couple of restaurants, and head to Belvedere, an overlook up a mountain that was described in a guide as one of the most beautiful on the planet. They weren’t wrong. We headed up a bunch of switchbacks, and Jen was a little apprehensive about the IndyCar style of T.j.’s driving, especially when a truck flying down the hill came a little too close. It was a really cool ride up though (there were two ancient ruins to stop and look at on the way as well) and when we got to the top, the view was… well, we’ll have to send the pictures. Cook’s bay on one side, Opunohu Bay on the other side, and splitting the difference was a majestic mountain, with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop. It was truly amazing, and I don’t even know if the pictures can do it half the justice it deserves. To top it off, if you turned around, there was a cliff face going straight up pretty much the entire 180 degrees behind you. Amazing… you’ll just have to see the pics.

The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful, although T.J.’s attempt to not use the brake the entire way down lasted about one switchback. We took a bumpy shortcut to Cook’s Bay, and drove around checking out a few different places to eat for the rest of the week. We cruised home, with the occasional stop, and finally found a stand on the side of the road with bananas. We have a couple of cool places to check out for dinners for the rest of the week. Back at the hotel it was time to mix up a drink and head for the sunset. We took a dip in the pool – soooooo refreshing!! – and then Jen secured two chairs while T.J. went to grab us a drink in plastic cups so we wouldn’t have to drink out of those little bathroom water cups. The bartender, a real nice guy from Papeete, ended up pouring an entire bottle of wine into two plastic cups and charging us for one drink – he’s definitely getting a tip, had no $$ since we were charging everything to the room and they don’t have a line to put a tip in on the receipt. The sunset was again obscured by a few clouds, but we saw it almost all the way down, and the light reflections afterwards were a different shade of amazing than the night before. Oranges, light blues, and pale reds were all over the sky, and we sat there until the stars began to come out. We walked back to the room, opened the champagne, and had some bread and cheese and drinks on the dock. Once the night got completely black, you could see hundreds (if not thousands) of stars in the night sky. Jen eventually asked where the Southern Cross was and we both leaned back over the railing and looked up – and both immediately spotted it in the eastern night sky. It was REALLY cool – how many times have we heard/sung that song, and to actually “see the Southern Cross for the first time” gave us both chills. Was just such a great moment, and we’re both glad that it was something we got to experience together – literally at the same exact time. By 9pm, we were done star gazing, we’d gone through a loaf of bread and cheese, had a couple of drinks, and were feeling tired from such an eventful and long day, so we went to bed early again. It was one of the best days we’ve ever had (with the natural caveat of “besides our wedding day”) and we’re glad we still have over a week of this left.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

I Want To Sail That Boat To Tahiti

Our clocks were all messed up (internally) so we woke up at 4:30 am; 5:30 am; and finally 6Am to try and find the sunrise. Smell of flowers was awesome. Sunrise was on other side of the island, but the colors over the mountain were beautiful. Also got to see the color of the sunrise reflect onto Moorea, across the Channel. Showered (finally!!), packed, went to breakfast. Yummy buffet, omelets, fresh fruits and juices, etc… Got bags, checked out, and went through Papeete to the ferry – Aremini 5. Sat in first row of ferry inside, great view of entire approach to Moorea. Had a beer. The whole thing reminded me of a favorite song.

Not sure what to do once on dry land; finally found a local bus (think whitewater rafting school bus) that slowly took us to the IC. Got to appreciate the amazing scenery on the ride there. Overcast and clouds at the mountaintops. Passed Cook’s Bay, which (supposedly) inspired Buffett to pen “One Particular Harbour”. Jen realized that the constant whitecaps were NOT a continuous line of boats in the distance, but the waves crashing on the reef. With a little difficulty, finally checked in – our Platinum Ambassador status upgraded us from beach front to semi-OW bungalow. T.J. used difficultly checking in as excuse to open computer and get on internet. Meanwhile jen enjoyed welcome drink at the bar. :) Got to our room – awesome décor, deck over small lagoon that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Can see ocean while laying in bed. Took a walk around property. Passed the turtle rehabilitation center – didn’t know turtles had substance abuse problems. Checked out the gym, which is free and we probably won’t use. Checked out the spa, which is definitely NOT free and which we definitely WILL use. Wandered past dolphin habitat, where you can swim with dolphins (tomorrow). Checked out the beach area, and pool, and the dive center. Jen says she is trying a resort type dive (3 total dives) and if she likes it, she can finish the course and get certified in Bora Bora. If she doesn’t, it’s back to diving with Fred for T.J.

Had a poolside lunch of sashimi tuna in a coconut milk and lime sauce w/cut up cucumbers, onions, and tomoatoes, over rice. MMMMM. Also had slivers of swordfish and whitefish with a dish of mango sorbet, diced cucumbers, and onions. Also was mmmmm, even if it sounds funny at first. Both are traditional Polynesian dishes. Had a bottle of water, a sea breeze, and a soco and coke and the tab for lunch was $90 USD. Ouch. Came back to room, found a complimentary bottle of champagne in the room, and a tshirt for t.j., a wrap for jen, and a small Tahitian scroll painting. Took our first dip in the water – was slightly chilly at first, but felt so good after a minute. Tested out the water-resistant camera and our snorkel equipment – both worked great. Not a ton of fish or good snorkel sights, but still pretty darn cool. Napped on the oversized sofa with the breeze coming in the door. Decided to walk to the grocery store that we had read about online and passed on the way here; except the one we read about was past the hotel by only 10 minutes or so on foot, and the one we went to was a good half hour+ hike in the other direction. Oops. Jen’s first “Sharpe Adventure” of her married life. Get used to it sweetheart. :) We stocked up on some bread, cheese, fruit juice, snacks, and a couple of bottles of wine. On the way back, Jen almost knocked over a sign for a small side of the road restaurant, and gave the only patrons a good chuckle. Lucky for us, she must have been entertaining, since the couple who saw us picked us up in their car a few minutes later. Turns out they are staying at our hotel, and they are from Philly to boot!! They gave us some good advice on things to do. We got home, popped open the champagne, cheese, and bread, and did this little blog of our first day in French Polynesia, sitting on our deck, sipping champagne, and watching the day turn into evening with some amazing dark colors (no sunset tonight b/c of clouds, but made for some amazing blue, purple, and aqua hues in the sky).

So after we were done this little blog, Jen looked out the front door and saw that the sunset was actually happening on the other side of our bungalow. We quickly ran over to a small bridge to see the remnants of what must have been an amazing sunset. The colors were unlike anything either of us had seen before. It was spectacular, and we can’t wait to actually see the sun go down on Wednesday. We’ve seen a lot of sunsets before (especially all of Dad’s pictures) but this one by far was the most amazing. Will try and send pics. Napped again while the breeze blew into the hut from the ocean, then finally got up and went to dinner. Both of us were half asleep for dinner, which was very good – Jen had a great piece of Mahi, and T.J. had a curry-sauce piece of Kangaroo. It was actually REALLY good, although I have a case of the hops. :) we brought the bottle of wine back to the hotel room with us and had about two sips before we passed out on (one of) our favorite places, the sofa next to the open door of the bungalow’s deck.

Let the Honeymoon Begin!!

Went to bed 1:00am EST after finishing packing. Woke up at 4:30am EST, T.J. couldn’t really sleep Jen had no problem though! Our flight was actually at 6am, not 7:15, luckily we checked. Got to the airport in plenty of time (after making a large deposit in the ATM) and got on the flight fine. FLL to ATL was uneventful, we slept most of the time. Switched planes and had a quick breakfast in ATL, then got on the LAX flight and got comfortable. We watched an in flight movie (“Juno”), Jen beat T.J. in Rummy, and we slept some more. Arrived in LAX got bags and went to International Terminal and checked in. Got to go to the executive lounge b/c we were business class, which was a good thing since we had to pay some bills online before we left and T.J. had to sign up for his health insurance through work. Jen got us a bunch of free munchies, and we took a shuttle out to a remote location of LAX where they board big-ass jets. Got on, was the first row in business class which let us kick up our feet onto the wall (well, Jen’s didn’t reach). Took off and left the U.S. behind!!

The flight attendants gave us all little Polynesian flowers for behind our ears; the female attendants actually changed once airborne into Tahitian dresses! Biz class was AMAZING! The chairs extended foot rests, leaned back to almost sleeping position, and were sooooo comfy. There was also a personal TV set that popped up and let us watch a movie together (“Bee Movie”) and play chess, which Jen somehow won after not paying attention the entire game. Jen watched “Martian Child” while T.J. took a snooze. The food was soooo good, and they kept bringing around very good wine. We brought the menu with us so we know what to buy once we get home. Lunch was 4 courses, and included shrimp apps, a main course (swordfish for T.J., lamb for Jen), bread and cheese, and a dessert platter we should have taken more advantage of. They also gave us a small chilled snack near the end of the flight (shrimp, bread, cheese, cheesecake). I hope Jen enjoyed business class cause our next trip we’re flying in the back of the plane!! :) We saw the sun set over the Pacific at 38,000 feet, it was amazing. We finally got there, although we both said it wasn’t nearly as bad of a trip as we thought, considering we’d been traveling for about 24 hours. Going through customs was a breeze, and getting to the hotel was easy. It was dark so it was tough to appreciate Tahiti at night, but we could already tell it was going to be amazing. We got to the room, and figured we’d go get something to eat; however, we were laying on the bed and jen started rubbing T.J.’s head and back, and surprisingly enough, we both passed out on top of the bed at 7:30pm local time. Guess the traveling for 24 hours caught up to us…